Ontario Empoblog

This is a sample of the information available at Maps of War (although personally, I classify the Vietnam War as a bipartisan effort, not a Democratic-only effort). From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

The latest from David Allen: Naming the Ontario Library children's room after writer Beverly Cleary, the most famous person to ever live in Ontario, was an idea floated in this space earlier this year. Cleary worked at the library for a year in the 1930s and decided to become a writer based on success at Chaffey Junior College, in the days when it shared an Ontario campus with Chaffey High. So why not honor her? Two residents with a connection to Cleary proposed the renaming to the Library Board, which posted a notice so anyone with an objection could object. When no one did, the change was recommended to the City Council. On Tuesday, the matter was placed on the council's consent calendar, reserved for items believed to be a slam-dunk. Well, the idea of a Beverly Cleary Children's Room certainly did get a unanimous vote. In opposition. "While I certainly agree with all the great things that were said about Miss Cleary," Councilman Alan Wapner began, he felt that...

No, I didn't vote for Paul Vincent Availa. Whoops, excuse me - the fighting Red Lion : A spate of bizarre e-mail messages from one failed City Council candidate to another has led to ruffled feathers in the aftermath of this city's recent elections. The messages from Paul Vincent Avila, who is a member of the Ontario-Montclair School District's board of education , went to Gabe Chavez, a former planning commissioner who finished third out of seven council candidates in the Nov. 7 election. In an e-mail sent to Chavez on Nov. 12, Avila basked in winning roughly 3,500 votes for council after spending only a few thousand dollars on his campaign, and noted Chavez's total was around 6,000, despite spending nearly $100,000 on his campaign. "If you are considering running again with larger amount of monies to spend, tell your developers/benefactors that I will be there again to make sure your kind defective character does not represent this precious city," Avila wro...

If you're sitting at a computer in an office at the Laugh Factory (or in Gloria Allred's offices), do NOT click on the two links below. This one features Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor, and was written by Paul Mooney . This one features John Lennon and Yoko Ono. From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

For the recent Children's Theatre Experience production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," I had to buy some black hi-top Converse sneakers. (And I did...but that's another story.) There was a tag attached to the Converse sneakers that included a whole bunch of mixed case writing, plus a little bit of writing in all caps. First, the mixed case text: An American original. Converse created the first basketball shoe - the grandfather of all athletic shoes to follow. In 1923, Chuck Taylor, an all-star professional, worked with Converse to improve their shoe and the game. For the rest of his life, Chuck served as the Ambassador of Basketball for Converse, traveling across America inspriring youth, coaching clinics, and spreading his love for the game. So after that pleasant talk about the American shoe, developed for the American game, and perfected by the American player, we run into the upper case text: TAG PRINTED IN CHINA From the Ontario Empoblog (Lat...

OK, now I know what happened. But this incident is telling ( emphasis mine): Comedian Paul Rodriguez, who was at the Laugh Factory on Friday during Richards' performance, said he was shocked. “Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African-American , then you have a whole lot of explaining,” Rodriguez told CNN. “Freedom of speech has its limitations and I think Michael Richards found those limitations.” If those are the rules, then this honky cracker will verbally denigrate anyone who isn't a honky cracker who refers to honky crackers. But I digress. If you were living under a rock like me, here's what happened: Michael Richards said Monday he spewed racial epithets during a stand-up comedy routine because he lost his cool while being heckled and not because he's a bigot. “For me to be at a comedy club and flip out and say this crap, I'm deeply, deeply sorry,” the former Seinfeld co-star said during a satellite appearance for David Let...

When you are traveling, you are often cut off from your usual news sources. I believe that it was Monday around noon when I was driving through Las Vegas, listening to Dan Patrick on ESPN Radio 920 . He was talking about his upcoming appearance on David Letterman , comparing Letterman to Carson, talking with his guests about Letterman, and so forth. Then Tuesday morning I was listening to Colin Cowherd , who was remarking that unusual things happen on Letterman whenever Dan Patrick appears. The last time Patrick was on Letterman, Farrah Fawcett was acting strangely. Still don't know what happened, other than the fact that Michael Richards was somehow involved. For the moment, it's nice to be alone in my ignorance, but it's time that I educate myself. From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

As I noted elsewhere , this is production week for the Children's Theatre Experience production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," with a public performance in Claremont, California on Saturday, November 18. As part of my role, I am required at one point to wear a wifebeater , some boxers , and a starry loincloth. While holding a long pole. From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

Followup to this post, which discussed (among other things) General Eric Shinseki. Well, it turns out that Shinseki, along with retired Admiral Vern Clark, will receive the Business Executives for National Security (BENS) Eisenhower Award. According to BENS' events calendar: The Eisenhower Award is given to individuals who help safeguard American liberty. Past recipients include Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Gen. Abizaid. And apparently a lot of people help safeguard American liberty. Admiral William J. Fallon received the award in San Francisco on October 17. And there are many other winners : May 2005 honoring Fred Smith, founder, chairman and CEO of FedEx November 2004 honoring Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Jim Jones, USMC June 2004 honoring Gen. Tommy Franks March 2004 honoring H. Ross Perot November 2003 honoring Maurice Greenberg and General Richard Myers May 2003 honoring Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld November 2002 honoring Lawrence T. Babbio, Jr., Vice ...

In two days it will be November 11. The significance of this date extends nearly a century : The Allied powers a signed a cease-fire agreement with Germany at Rethondes, France on November 11, 1918, bringing World War I to a close. Between the wars, November 11 was commemorated as Armistice Day in the United States, Great Britain, and France. After World War II, the holiday was recognized as a day of tribute to veterans of both world wars. Beginning in 1954, the United States designated November 11 as Veterans Day to honor veterans of all U.S. wars. But it's not called Veterans Day in other countries : Remembrance Day (Australia, Canada, Colombia, UK and Ireland), also known as Poppy Day (South Africa and Malta), and Armistice Day (UK, New Zealand and many other Commonwealth countries; and the original name of the holiday internationally) is a day to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans and civilians in World War I and other wars. It is observed on November 11 to recall the end of...

And with everything else going on, this happened: After years of defending his secretary of defense, President Bush on Wednesday announced Donald H. Rumfeld's resignation within hours of the Democrats' triumph in congressional elections.... The Iraq war was the central issue of Rumsfeld's nearly six-year tenure, and unhappiness with the war was a major element of voter dissatisfaction Tuesday — and the main impetus for his departure. Even some GOP lawmakers in Congress became critical of the war's management, and growing numbers of politicians were urging Bush to replace Rumsfeld.... With his often-combative defense of the war in Iraq, Rumsfeld had been the administration's face of the conflict. He became more of a target — and more politically vulnerable — as the war grew increasingly unpopular at home amid rising violence and with no end in sight.... Numerous Democrats in Congress had been calling for Rumsfeld's resignation for many months, asserting that his...

This strikes me as contradictory: From Paris to Pakistan, politicians, analysts and ordinary citizens said they hoped the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives would force President Bush to adopt a more conciliatory approach to the globe's laundry list of crises, and teach a president many see as a "cowboy" a lesson in humility.... Bush is deeply unpopular in many countries around the globe, with particularly intense opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, the U.S. terror detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and allegations of Washington sanctioned interrogation methods that some equate with torture. Many said they thought the big gains by Democrats signaled the beginning of the end of Bush's reign.... In Sri Lanka, some said they hoped the rebuke would force Bush to abandon a unilateral approach to global issues. "The Americans have made it clear that current American policy should change in dealing with the world, from a confrontational appr...

From the Secretary of State : Governor 99.5% ( 24972 of 25090 ) precincts reporting as of Nov 8, 2006 at 6:03 am Statewide Results County Returns | Other Contests View Map Candidate Votes Percent Phil Angelides (Dem) 2,642,880 39.2 % * Arnold Schwarzenegger (Rep) 3,773,277 56.0 % Edward C. Noonan (AI) 48,241 0.7 % Peter Camejo (Grn) 142,744 2.1 % Art Olivier (Lib) 89,571 1.3 % Janice Jordan (PF) 53,134 0.7 % Lieutenant Governor 99.5% ( 24972 of 25090 ) precincts reporting as of Nov 8, 2006 at 6:03 am Statewide Results County Returns | Other Contests View Map Candidate Votes Percent John Garamendi (Dem) 3,280,228 49.4 % Tom McClintock (Rep) 2,985,333 45.0 % James D. King (AI) 54,417 0.8 % Donna J. Warren (Grn) 180,964 2.7 % Lynnette Marie Shaw (Lib) 110,243 1.6 % Stewart A. Alexander (PF) 34,190 0.5 % Attorney General 99.5% ( 24972 of 25090 ) precincts reporting as of Nov 8, 2006 at 6:03 am Statewide Results County Returns | Other Contests Vi...

From the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters : GOVERNOR Vote For 1 975 of 975 Precincts Reporting (View Map) CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER 167358 61.31% DEM - PHIL ANGELIDES 91595 33.56% LIB - ART OLIVIER 4919 1.80% GRN - PETER MIGUEL CAMEJO 3337 1.22% P-F - JANICE JORDAN 2720 1.00% AIP - EDWARD C. NOONAN 2570 0.94% Write-In 459 0.17% LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Vote For 1 975 of 975 Precincts Reporting (View Map) CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT REP - TOM MCCLINTOCK 141518 52.79% DEM - JOHN GARAMENDI 110610 41.26% GRN - DONNA J. WARREN 6197 2.31% LIB - LYNNETTE SHAW 4855 1.81% AIP - JIM KING 2967 1.11% P-F - STEWART A. ALEXANDER 1697 0.63% Write-In 217 0.08% ATTORNEY GENERAL Vote For 1 975 of 975 Precincts Reporting (View Map) CANDIDATE VOTES PERCENT DEM - JERRY BROWN 134255 50.31% REP - CHUCK POOCHIGIAN 117613 44.07% LIB - KENNETH A. WEISSMAN 6666 2.50% GRN - MICHAEL S. WYMAN 4579 1.72% P-F - JACK HARRISON 3564 1.34% Write-In 193 0.07% BOARD OF EQUALIZATION MEMBER - DIS...

"Flush away Super Wal-Mart's proposal near 5th and Mountain Avenue's site. Recognize the neighborhood's exclamations of No means No!" From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

From the Hablaba blog : I did the whole touchscreen voting thing today, which makes me a bit nervous. Sure, the paper printout that I didn't get to keep matched what I pressed, but I don't know what was transmitted where. Like it matters around here, anyway. I wonder if Vegas puts odds on California election results. If so, I'm going out there next year and betting since I know how it's going to turn out. For the record, my paper matched my electronic. Coolness. Regarding my actual votes, I will note that I voted for two people that have been characterized as "too extreme" for California. The two? Lieutenant Governor candidate Tom McClintock and Attorney General candidate Jerry Brown. And yes, I voted for Tony Ballardo. From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

My del.icio.us tag for 2006 election results is election+results+200611 . The weirdest story so far is from Kentucky : A poll worker was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault and interfering with an election for allegedly choking a voter and pushing him out the door, officials said. It apparently started as a dispute between the two over marking the ballot.... The voter told poll worker Jeffery Steitz that he didn't want to vote in a judicial election because he didn't know enough about the candidates, but Steitz told him he had to vote in the race anyway, Yates said. Huh? From the Ontario Empoblog (Latest OVVA news here )

Yes, the title is relevant (sortt off). ggwfung links to a blog post by Muhammad Saleem that labels Digg's revised front page appearance system as socialist. The Digg economy is the reward system for the users who contribute to the website by submitting content. This ultimate reward is the glory by way of user rankings, calculated as a function of total stories submitted by a user that made it to the front-page. Keeping this economy in mind, you could say that the recent algorithm ‘upgrade’ at Digg is actually a shift from a capitalist free market state, to a socialist state of equality. Prior to this change, the Digg economy was a capitalistic one. One that emphasized fairness and allowed each individual user to create his own fate. Under this system, each user was rewarded appropriately, based on their level of contribution to the system. This economy has now become a socialistic one (not to be confused with communistic economies), which emphasizes equality over fairness.... Ra...

You may remember the Annie Jacobsen story - how a Womens Wall Street reporter boarded a plane, was convinced that she was surrounded by terrorists. The introduction to the article will cause you to hide under your plastic bag: On June 29, 2004, at 12:28 p.m., I flew on Northwest Airlines flight #327 from Detroit to Los Angeles with my husband and our young son. Also on our flight were 14 Middle Eastern men between the ages of approximately 20 and 50 years old. What I experienced during that flight has caused me to question whether the United States of America can realistically uphold the civil liberties of every individual, even non-citizens, and protect its citizens from terrorist threats. Then, subsequent reports indicated that the "terrorists" were Nour Mehana and his band, on their way to play at a California casino. In the meantime, however, Jacobsen wrote a whole series , complete with escalating tension, fear, and danger. Here's a sample from part four in t...

I now have a del.icio.us account . So far, it's been better than other shared bookmarking methods that I've used, and it also lets me get familiar with tagging (without having to report to the police station afterwards). So what do I use it for? Whatever . But it's educational. I knew that the Presidential Medal of Freedom had been given to Henry Kissinger (by Gerald Ford), but I did not know that Ford himself had subsequently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (from Bill Clinton). Other recipients are diverse, including Johnny Carson , Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) , and Robert Kahn and Vint Cerf . More : The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States, considered the equivalent of the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. It is designed to recognize individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significa...